Julia Cross

Julia Margaret Cross MBE is a 7th degree black belt in ITF Taekwon-Do and a martial arts instructor. She is a six-time ITF Taekwon-Do World Champion and 15 time European Champion.^[2] Julia Cross is the only person, male or female, ever to achieve six world titles in ITF Taekwon-Do.^[3]

Julia Cross
Born	(1974-03-29) 29 March 1974 (age 51)[1] Edinburgh, Scotland[1]
Occupation(s)	Taekwon-Do competitor (retired) Taekwon-Do Instructor
Years active	1991–2010

Career

Julia Cross took her first martial arts class at age eleven.^[3] In 1991 she traveled to Vienna for her first European championship.^[4] She became a world champion for the first time in 1999, in Argentina.^[4] She continued to win world titles and was inducted into the Taekwon-Do Hall of Fame in 2007, being the first person to ever win six Taekwon-Do world titles.^[3] In 2010, Julia Cross needed a hip replacement and was forced to retire from competition.^[3] She received her 5th degree black belt in 2011, and teaches at South Queensferry School of Taekwon-Do.4

Cross was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2020 Birthday Honours for services to taekwon-do.^[5]

Titles

Julia Cross has won numerous titles in her Taekwon-Do career.^[2][3]

• WORLD SILVER 2009: ARGENTINA - Female -58 kg Sparring
• 2007: QUEBEC - Female -58 kg Sparring
• Winner of 1st Hall of Fame Best Female Competitor
• 2005: GERMANY - Female -58 kg Sparring
• 2005: GERMANY - Female 3rd degree Patterns
• Received Award for Best Overall Female
• 2003: POLAND - Female -58 kg Sparring
• 2003: POLAND - Female 3rd Degree Patterns
• Received Award for Best overall female
• 1999: ARGENTINA - Female -58 kg Sparring
• Received Award For Best Overall Female
• WORLD SILVER 1997: RUSSIA - Female 3rd degree Patterns
• WORLD BRONZE 1992: NORTH KOREA - Female -58 kg Sparring
• European Championship Medals European Golds - 15
• 1991: Vienna
• 1994: Poland
• 1996: Italy
• 1997: Slovenia
• 1999: Italy
• 2000: Edinburgh - 2 Gold including BEST FEMALE COMPETITOR
• 2001: Spain
• 2002: Czech Rep -1 Gold & 1 Silver including BEST FEMALE COMPETITOR
• 2004: Finland
• 2005: Italy
• 2006: Romania
• 2007: Slovakia - 2 GOLD including BEST OVERALL FEMALE
• 2008: Wroclaw - Poland
• SILVER MEDALS - 5
• 1993: Holland
• 1995: Germany
• 1999: Italy
• 2001: Spain
• 2002: Czech Rep
• 2008: Wroclaw-Poland
• BRONZE MEDALS - 3
• 1991: Vienna
• 1995: Germany
• 2006: Romania
• Other Tournaments
• FINNISH OPEN (FINLAND): CHAMPION 2003 - 2 Gold Medals
• SWEDISH VIKING CUP: CHAMPION 2004 - 2 Gold Medals
• SWEDISH VIKING CUP: CHAMPION 2005 - 2 Gold Medals
• SWEDISH VIKING CUP: CHAMPION 2006 - 1 Gold, 1 Silver
• CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS (ENGLAND) 2004 - 3 Gold Medals
• IMPACT OPEN 2005 - 2 Gold Medals
• SCOTTISH CHAMPION: 1989-2003(inclusive), 2006 BRITISH CHAMPION: 1989-2002(inclusive) ENGLISH CHAMPION: 1989, 1990 and 1998 WELSH CHAMPION: 1995 and 1997 ITALIAN OPEN CHAMPION: 1998, 1999 and 2000 - 2 gold medals in each year
• IRISH OPEN MARCH 2007: GOLD SPARRING & GOLD PATTERN